CHAPTER 1
Escape
A NIGHTMARE—NO, a premonition—woke Maximus from his sleep. He instantly sat up and then froze. Jada, sleeping soundly next to him, was startled awake. "What is the matter?”
When he did not respond, she knew something was wrong. To share in his vision, she placed her hands on his chest, linking herself to him. They both began to cry as a vision unraveled before them.
The future, if not changed …
“The Kelpie Ring! We must make it to the Kelpie Ring.” The Ailey sisters ran from their burning home as the dark fae hunted them. Their brothers and father attempted to hold the fae off to allow the women to escape. The first to fall was their patriarch, Maximus. As he moved to stop one of Stygian’s minions, another lanced him from the side.
River, the eldest Ailey son, roared with fury. Using his ability to fly, he was able to deflect the onslaught and kill the minion who slayed his father. Rune and Ronan combined their powers of strength and weather to create a tempest to block the dark fae from the few survivors. They miscalculated Stygian’s powers. Their tempest halted and threw them across the village square. Rune fell to his death and Ronan was gravely injured. The Ailey women gathered their powers to save their youngest brother.
Celeste used her ability to create illusions to blind Stygian. She was able to hold the enchantment for a moment to allow Aurora to use the Earth to pull Ronan from Stygian’s grasp. Once he was freed, the remaining Ailey family members ran for the Kelpie Ring.
The premonition began to fade into the darkness, releasing its oracle.
Ever since Stygian became the Fae King, Solasta transformed from a luminous and wondrous realm to a stagnant pit filled with hate. Each fae village slowly became discontented, villagers blaming each other for the King’s rampages. Their once-vibrant colors faded into a doldrum array of grays and blacks. Stygian wanted war and vengeance against the mortal realm. He needed the strength of the strongest fae families to break the barrier.
He first attempted to bribe the families with wealth and land but soon learned that they would not comply with his machinations. Stygian resorted to controlling the masses via fear. The fae families did not know when or where they would be attacked if they did not do as the Fae King asked. Members of their families would go missing; others would be found on display in the village square with their ears mutilated and tied to a scaffold.
The female fae suffered a fate worse than death if they turned away Stygian's advances or demands. The un-fortunate soul would be stripped, placed on display, and whipped. He would steal her beauty by shaving her long, beautiful hair, leaving her bald. The final blow would be the removal of her powers, placing them within a crystal to add to his collection.
As Stygian collected these crystals, his powers grew. He realized if he could steal the powers of the ancient fae families, he would not need the fairies to attain his vengeance. He would be the all-powerful and mighty Stygian, conquering all the realms. He would reward the fae who joined his cause and gifted them crystals to strengthen their own powers. This was when the days of the Ailey family were numbered.
Jada released her connection with Maximus as the premonition faded into darkness. “The fates have been kind and sent us a warning. We can change the outcome for our village; nothing is set until the first act has happened. We now have the upper hand, Maximus.”
“Yes, my love, we will save our family and village.”
The oldest of the fae families, the Ailey's, were the strongest of all the bloodlines and knowledgeable of the ancient ways. When they combined their powers, no one could stop them until Stygian came to power. They were a family of eight, truly a sight to behold. Their three beautiful daughters had raven hair, violet eyes, and slight frames with delicate features. The three brothers were similar with their violet eyes but had hulking frames modeled after the Greek gods. The family was a force. Each child inherited a magical talent from their parents. Celeste, the eldest daughter, could read the minds of others and manipulate their thoughts. Aurora had the power of the elements, earth, air, fire, and water. The youngest daughter, Brianna, could bring you back from the brink of death with her power to heal.
Their parents, Jada and Maximus, both had the gift of sight, always knowing what dangers lurked around the corner. The only limits the patriarch and matriarch had were that they could only see the future as it is being thought of. The outcome could change drastically until the first event took place. The Ailey brothers were blessed with powers as well. River had the ability of flight, Rune had Herculean strength, and Ronan, the youngest of the brothers, had the ability to control the weather.
They were prosperous. Their fellow villagers and tenants adored the Aileys. Crops flourished, animals thrived, and the village was joyful. They were the last stronghold left that defied the new Fae King. His world of vengeance and hate was not what Solasta was founded on. Their Elders embraced the circle of life, knowing there must always be balance between the good and evil of their world. Now the balance had shifted.
Their enchanted world began to unravel. The glo-riously lush forests with babbling brooks and cool lakes became murky and muddy, no longer clear pools of purity. The Aileys knew they must intervene to save their people, family, and way of life. Maximus had lost so much in the last several years. His parents were murdered by Stygian, his brother Magnus betrayed the family, and the eldest Ailey brother was lost the day Stygian came to power. He would not allow more tragedy to come to his small village.
The Kelpie Ring was their only haven. Twice a year, the fae were able to travel between the fae and mortal world. Sentries were always posted during the equinoxes to assure no human would ever trespass into their realm. This would be their only way to escape Solasta and save the few fae that remained.
As Maximus rallied his fellow fae to coordinate a plan, a vision took hold of him once again. He saw mass destruction, the death of his family, his daughters taken as slaves for the Dark Fae King. His sons hung and placed on display for all to see what lies before them if they continue to defy him. Maximus knew if he were to take the powers of his sons, wife, and himself, there would be no stopping him, and both worlds would be no more.
Jada sensed her husband's terror and placed her hands on his chest to share in the vision and calm his soul. She saw the flames, homes ablaze with families locked inside. A group of fae with their wings torn off and Stygian absorbing their powers with his many crystals. The horror over-whelmed her, and she broke the connection. “We must save the village,” she said. “These acts have not happened yet. The plan must be set in motion now. The vernal equinox is a sennight away; we can make the preparations and create the illusions for safe passage. The sentries will need to be enchanted; Celeste is strong enough. She can blind them or alter their vision to see what we wish.”
Maximus, in his stoic manner, understood the gravity of their plight and knew they needed to take action now. With a week to accomplish their escape, many plans needed to be arranged. Who would escape with them, where would they go, how would they get there, and once in the mortal world, how do they close the Kelpie Ring to stop Stygian from following?
The night before their escape, the Ailey family en-sured all preparations were complete. They had stores of food, tools, clothing, and tapestries. Their village of Luminia was prepared to flourish in the mortal realm. They enjoyed a last meal together. Spoke of memories and stories from long ago. Drank elven wine made from pomegranates and ate delicious pastries with meat pies. To help protect them from harm, the patriarch of the family diminished his powers to the point of nonexistence to create a special amulet for each of his children, along with a small, intricately designed box made of ebony. Each son had a signet ring set with a ruby and a different band. The gold signet ring was for River, symbolizing the sun, the titanium for Rune, to reflect his strength, and the silver for Ronan, to mimic the silvery gray sky before a storm.
If the rings were placed together and made into one, whoever wore it would have the powers of all three brothers. Singularly, the ring would enhance the power of the owner. The only way for the rings to work was if someone from the bloodline of the Ailey family were to wear it. No one else could unlock its power.
For his daughters, he fashioned beautiful necklaces with different gemstones encircled with diamonds and hung on delicate gold chains. Celeste’s was set with a sapphire, Aurora’s with a golden topaz, and Brianna’s with an emerald. Just like their brothers, their amulets enhanced their individual powers. When the amulets combined, they formed a Tulip, which signified perfection and royalty and allowed them to share their powers as one.
Maximus thought of everything to assure their family magic would never fall into the hands of the Fae King. In the devastating thought that one of his children were to be murdered, their amulets would absorb their power and re-appear attached to the next sibling's amulet. This would guarantee the amulets would not fall into the wrong hands. Maximus then presented River with a mysterious gift. As the eldest son, he would be the next patriarch of the Ailey family. “My dear boy, this parcel is to stay with you at all times. Never open it. Whenever the time may come and I no longer am with you, it will provide answers that you desire.” River looked confused as he accepted the wrapped package. “Remember, River, do not unwrap the parcel until you are already in the mortal realm. If you are not able to maintain it, assure that an Ailey family member has it in their care.” River nodded and accepted the cryptic command.
As the dinner was coming to an end, each parent presented their gifts to the children. Jada, who was a prodigious seamstress, created delicately embroidered hand-kerchiefs that could camouflage small items for each son. For her daughters, she designed an elaborate shawl that would magically tell the story of the Fae people, their family, and their village. As their final talisman against the coming evil, each child received a small, hand carved box holding a bit of earth from their small village. "No matter what may come, Luminia will always be alive within this soil," Maximus told his children.
Each child received their gifts somberly knowing these were their last moments as a happy family and they would endure many trials before they would be reunited. To lighten the mood, Celeste told everyone to hold hands and create a circle. “For us to succeed,” Celeste explained, “we must not ponder on what is to come but relish in the new and the many possibilities that await us.” She joined the circle and began to imagine the world she wanted for her family.
“Everyone close your eyes.” Celeste began to imagine a beautiful, lush forest, green as emeralds. Through the forest ran a small stream filled with fish, otters, and other wildlife. They played in harmony, and if you listened quietly enough you could hear the river sprites singing their beautiful song beckoning any weary traveler to come for a cool drink. As the images began to fill everyone's minds, Celeste began to add a small cottage, followed by a field set with rows of pomegranate, almond, and apple trees. There was a pen for livestock with chickens, goats, and cows. They would be at peace, and the Kelpie Ring would be reopened for all to cross. “What a beautiful vision, my dear Celeste. Thank you for the gift of hope.” Maximus embraced his daughter as tears ran down his cheeks.
The next morning all was set; the family ate a hearty breakfast and made their final preparations. The villagers were ready to depart. The plan was for the villagers to periodically leave the village and meet at the healing pools by the Kelpie Ring. They were to feign happiness, simply having a gathering to enjoy the new tulip blooms and picnic. This would be an easy task as the Kelpie Ring was the last location left with life. Each passing day the darkness crept closer to the Ring. The last family to leave the village would be the Aileys, except for Celeste, who would be at the Kelpie Ring to ensure the sentries were occupied.
As the families began to arrive and mingle in the healing pools, the sentries became suspicious. Knowing that today was the vernal equinox, the Kelpie Ring was open to fae for travel. To assure the sentries there was no plan or ill will, the villagers plied them with wine and food. They did not realize as they enjoyed their meals a few of the fae would disappear into the hidden cave near the entrance of the Kelpie Ring. Not every fae could leave Solasta. The elderly fae continued the illusion and would disguise them-selves as the escaping villagers.
Back at the village, all seemed well until Stygian appeared with an entourage expecting a welcoming committee. He knew the Ailey family to be the oldest and most powerful of the fae. His plan was to marry Celeste, create enough heirs to guarantee his reign, and then dispose of her. Their bloodlines would become one.
The Ailey family was not prepared for the king's arrival. Celeste was at the Kelpie Ring keeping the sentries entertained and controlling their minds. As the Fae King probed the village, he noticed the lack of villagers. Stygian knew something was afoot. He sent his minions to begin to check the cottages. One after another, the homes were found empty, with personal effects gone. Maximus heard the commotion and realized Stygian knew that the village was escaping into the mortal realm.
Only Celeste was at the Kelpie Ring; everyone else was preparing the incantations to seal the ring to prevent Stygian from crossing and destroying the humans. “We must act quickly,” Maximus told his family. “Stygian is here. We have been revealed. Hurry, everyone run to the Kelpie Ring.” The family began to rush and complete their charms hoping to escape the demonic Fae King. He was grotesque, covered with boils and warts. Once a handsome fae with striking features, jet black hair and stormy gray eyes, the darkness took over his soul and his outer appearance began to mirror the evil that had taken root.
To add to the sickening sight, he wore his trophy of crystals that held all of the fairies' powers he had stolen as punishment for their disobedience. Maximus’ powers were almost non-existent due to making the amulets. It would be months before they would be able to rejuvenate. He had to send Celeste a message. Using the remnants of his powers, Maximus used blood magic to send a message to Celeste to hasten the fae's departure, for now their plans were compromised. Stygian was on the warpath.
The Ailey brothers combined their powers of strength to control the weather. They created a maelstrom to slow down Stygian’s progress. Jada and the girls ran to the Kelpie Ring. The sentries finally succumbed to the sleeping potion the villagers had placed in the wine, allowing the fairies to escape through the portal. As the families crossed, they immediately dispersed in different directions. Once the women were secured, Rune and Ronan began to make their escape to the Kelpie Ring to join the rest of their family. Maximus told the boys to not worry about him but to protect the women and children.
No one knew that Maximus had used the majority of his powers to create their amulets and would not be able to make the journey to the mortal realm. Before his eldest son, River, left, Maximus handed him an additional small parcel. He gave his son one last embrace and beckoned him to hurry. River knew this was the last he would ever see of his father and understood he was now the new patriarch of the Ailey family.
Moments before Stygian arrived, River made his escape. Maximus stood in his home as a King in his castle and faced the Fae King. Stygian’s stench pervaded the cottage as his minions approached the Ailey Patriarch. “Where are they?” Stygian barked.
With his quick wit, Maximus replied, “Our beloved King, thank you for gracing us with your presence. We are honored to be visited by the Fae King. May I ask who you are referring to?” As Maximus spoke, the entire Ailey family began to walk into the cottage to greet the Fae King. Unbeknownst to Maximus, the moment Celeste received his message, she began to focus her magic on their home. She projected her family surrounding her father.
Stygian was stunned to see the entire family appear. "And here I thought your family evaded me. Even though I see you in front of me, I know how cunning your family can be. Achlys, go to the Kelpie Ring and assure all is well." The dark fae did as Stygian asked.
"My King, how you wound me. Our family would never dare to defy you." Maximus' words were meant to soothe the king with their cloying smoothness. Maximus hoped he had given his family enough time to escape. The Ailey family was assisting the last of the Luminian villagers through the Ring when the dark fairies arrived. Aurora created a wall of water to stop them, while her brothers continued to move the villagers through the Ring. Brianna awaited them on the other side to heal those in need. Arrows began to fly through the wall of water. Ronan attempted to help his sister and created a maelstrom to fight the dark fae. Unfortunately, the dark fae were true in their targets. As Brianna passed back through the Kelpie Ring to assist her family, she saw the torrent of arrows land their marks. Her brothers faltered to the ground, writhing in pain. They yelled for her to go and save herself, but she could not. Aurora saw what her sister was attempting and began deflecting the arrows off course with the wind while she maintained the water wall separating them from their enemies.
Brianna reached her brothers and began to manipulate the arrows out of their bodies. One by one, she removed the deadly objects and began to heal each wound. Her hands glowing and beads of sweat forming on her forehead, she hurried from one brother to the next. They were not at full strength, but strong enough to move and run toward the Ring to make their escape. Aurora was beginning to weaken, the water wall was weakening as well, allowing for the sentries to begin to make their way through.
Everyone was almost out. Celeste could not move, as she was still holding the illusion for her father back at their cottage. River knew if they did not all leave now, they would be captured, and the mortal world would be destroyed. He beckoned Celeste to break the illusion and leave, but she could not leave her father without protection at the mercy of the Dark Fae King. Tears welled in her eyes as she knew she must leave. “Celeste!” River yelled. “We must go and seal the Kelpie Ring!” They were the last to move through the passage.
"Hurry, everyone, place your charms around the Ring," yelled River. Immediately the Luminian families did as the eldest Ailey brother commanded. Each charm attached to the portal. The charms began to illuminate and electrify. The sentries made it past the wall of water, followed by their arrows. Their shadows were now visible from the mortal realm. The brothers began to fight the fae back into Solasta until the final charms and incantations were made. Once everything was in place, the brothers jumped away from the Ring. The portal to Solasta exploded with a light so bright, anyone who dared to see it would have been blinded.
The stones and dust began to settle, and the Kelpie Ring was no more. Their father was lost to them for all eternity, and Stygian the Dark Fae King sealed from the mortal world. They were safe, there was peace, and all would be well...or so they thought.
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